no to the $3 trillion budget, no to the bank bailout, and no to the health care bill. at home you would never pay a bill without reading it neither should congress. i'm frank kratovil and i approve this message because i'm proud to be ranked one of the most independent members of congress. on our broadcast this monday night, look out below. after that gas main explosion leveled a california neighborhood, new questions about other disasters just waiting to happen. on the record, a rare and candid conversation tonight with a member of the u.s. supreme court. justice steven briar. standing up to bullying in school. what most kids already know and what parents need to kw about the problem. and sudden death. a high school ball player's close call in the end zone, and what some are calling the miracle that saved his life. "nightly news" begins now.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. there was something about watching all those homes in california incinerated in that natural gas explosion and fire that made people think of their open homes, to see a neighborhood that was thriving just last week, gone today, makes you think twice about the dangers we all live with. in this case, the pipelines and gas mains that crisscross the country and bring energy to american homes. hundreds of you thousands of mi of them passing under communities. we start off just south of san francisco. miguel, good evening. >> reporter: good evening. tonight, the company that owns the line offered a bp-like fund. $100 million for families affected by the blast, but tonight, many of them just want answers.

as new video surfaced of last week's gas explosion in san bruno, the gas company began inspecting all 5,000 miles of its natural gas lines. a mandate issued by a state regulator, was ordered to protect the 15 million customers. but according to energy experts, thursday's disaster that incinerated nearly 40 homes could have happened anywhere. >> this is a national safety issue, because in many local communities, because of a lack of local rules and regulations, neighborhoods have been able -- neighborhoods have grown and sprawled over these high pressure pipelines. >> reporter: with no cause determined in the rupture, pg&e has come under fire for not replacing the pipes. the transmission line, buried before homes were built here, was never intended to run under

such a densely populated neighborhood. pg says the pipe was inspected twice in the last year. >> we have not found anything in our records to indicate that people called for that specific area. >> reporter: nationwide, there are 305,000 miles of natural gas lines, serving more than 65 million homes. over 50% of households are heated by natural gas. within days of thursday's explosion, california state leaders called for a congressional hearing. >> across this country, gas is being distributed to homes, and i think the question that everyone is asking, is this going to happen in my community? >> reporter: critics say pg&e neglected public safety, calling the pipeline one of the most dangerous in the country. they point to one of the gas company's own memos which reads, "the likelihood of a failure at this location, unacceptably high." >> these gas lines are definitely a ticking time bomb.

and that is why people are concerned, and that's why a federal and state regulators need to intervene. >> reporter: but they insist their lines are safe. meantime, bob and tina have lost everything they own. this is their home before the blast, this is their community today. tonight, pg&e says money for the blast victims who live in the neighborhood will never make up for what's happened and they admitted during a news conference today, they're not sure how many of these big gas lines run through neighborhoods across this region. >> miguel starting us off just south of san francisco. miguel, thanks. we turn also tonight, and a big fight from the bush years is back, bigger than ever. it's about tax cuts, due to expire this december. this issue has gotten all tied

up in election year politics. now there's talk of a compromise, but it's about real money to the americans affected. we get more from our chief white house correspondent chuck todd tonight. good evening. >> reporter: look, it's 50 days and counting to the november midterm elections. we know the economy is dominating the debate. today, the white house and republicans skirmishing over the future of those so-called bush tax cuts. president obama took his unofficial campaign on behalf of embattled democrats to a backyard in suburban northern virginia, where he compared the state of the economy to a bad car accident. >> the country went through a huge trauma. it takes some time to recover. now part of what's holding us back is us needing to go ahead and feel confident about the future. >> reporter: the most immediate debate between the president and republicans in congress is the future of the so-called bush tax cuts set to expire this year. the president wants to extend the tax cuts just for families

he calls middle class, those who make less than $250,000. republicans want to extend all the tax cuts, including those for high-income earners. on sunday, republican john boehner, the man who could be next speaker of the house, wavered. >> the only option i have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, i'll vote for them. >> reporter: the white house eagerly responded. >> it sounded like there was a willingness by congressman boehner to go to the president's position of keeping middle class tax relief in place. >> reporter: to that end, robert gibbs spent most of sunday on twitter, but the president isn't just debating republicans on taxes, key senate taxes aren't convinced that now is the time to raise taxes on the rich, either. and some economists are nervous

about any tax increases in the short term. >> i think if we raise anyone's tax rates in 2011 when the recovery is so fragile, we're taking a chance it goes back into recession. >> reporter: and brian, tomorrow is the final big primary day of the year. we're watching delaware, where a tea party challenge could cost the republicans an easy shot at winning joe biden's senate seat in november. >> chuck, tanks. the economy remains an urgentoncern across the country. the senate is expected to vote on one of the president's plans to give the economy a boost, a bill to give tax breaks to small businesses, which have been hard hit by the recession. it is especially urgent these days in california where the job market, among the worst in the country. nbc's lee cowan has our report from there tonight. >> reporter: in a state that boasts some of the best universities, some of the wealthiest residents and some of

the most expensive real estate, california's economy is still in the poor house. a new study shows california's 2. 3 unemployed workers take an average of eight months to find a job, a record. there are so many of the long-term jobless in california, they now outnumber the residents of san francisco by a long shot. >> it's very difficult and it's disheartening. listening to the economic news these days, it's almost depressing. >> reporter: key sectors of california's economy like construction and manufacturing have all but vanished. if you think having a degree helps, it hasn't. in fact, the share of college grads who got a job here in california has dropped nearly 9%? those with experience are so desperate to find work they're taking those entry level joshes away.

>> i either go back to school for take a job i didn't study for. >> reporter: employers have been doing bare bones business for months but feel the state's economic appetite may be returning. >> which see peaks and not as many valleys. >> reporter: the president's proposed tax writeoffs could mean a new truck, maybe a new stove. but not ready to hire workers, yet. >> we feel the it's not going off a cliff. >> reporter: that may be the new economic norm in california. lee cowan, nbc news, los angeles. hurdling along to the east coast now, hurricane igor, thousands of miles out to sea, and that's a good thing, because it's a category 4 so far, second most powerful storm there. sustained winds of 150 miles an hour at the core. nasa has an incredible view of it from space tonight. this is a monster with a well

defined eye. big enough storm that it would stretch from dallas, texas, to washington, d.c. it could strengthen to a category 5, but may skirt bermuda with strong winds. it's expected to far to stay well away from the u.s. coast. again, however, whipping up waves along the east coast. tropical storm julia has formed, part of that daisy chain across the atlantic. not near live as strong with winds of about 50 miles an hour. not posing a threat. they don't believe to the u.s. we can't remember a sitting justice on the u.s. supreme court ever stopping by our studios here, but it happened today. we spent some time with justice steven briar, appointed by president clinton. he's out with a new book today about how the court works. including mistakes the court has made over the years. i started out by asking justice breyer if he's concerned that

just 1% of those americans polled in a recent survey knew his name. >> it's not a problem that people don't know my name. i don't think when i read some, people know more the name of the three stooges than the supreme court justices, that's all right. but if more people know the names of the three stages and not that there are three branches of the government, that's not all right. people need to know about the institute and how it works and why it works the way it does. and that concerns them. >> do you think bush versus gore hurt the credibility of the modern court? >> yes. >> inrepably? >> no. >> for how long? >> i don't know. that's up to historians. i thought the decision -- i was in dissent. i obviously thought the majority was wrong. but i've heard harry reid say this, the most remarkable thing

about that case, bush versus gore, is something hardly anyone remarks. and that remarkable thing is even though more than half the public strongly disagreed with it, thought it was really wrong, they followed it. and the alternative, using guns, having revolutions in the street, is a worse alternative. >> to a new area, academic social elitism on the court, what would be your view of bringing in -- presidents appointing justices who went to a couple state law schools? >> no problem. >> why hasn't it happened? >> i'm not the appointing authority. >> i agree. you have no say. >> i've said that many times. i'm one of the few people, when you start talking about the appointment process, it's like asking for the recipe of chicken

ala king from the point of the chicken. there was all kinds of people from different law schools. people educate themselves in different ways and all things being equal, the more diversity on the court the better. i better know something about the people i'm going to affect and how it might affect them. so a judge has to have a certain amount of what i would call imagination about how other people think and feel, and what's likely to happen as a result of this decision, and having a diversity of experience on the court is helpful. >> as you look at your colleagues on the court, the other eight, are you convinced they are trying to be the best citizens possible and the best stewards possible as the final arbiters for the laws that control our lives? >> are we the best citizens possible? none of us thinks that. we don't know that. there isn't one of us who doesn't think and know that he

could have been somebody else that was appointed. when you say trying, i believe that if you're with us and looking magically over our shoulder, you would say i was right to put in the word "trying" because they're trying. so you've set up a goal, and the best we can do is to try to live up to that goal, to try. >> justice breyer wouldn't talk about any issue that might come before the court, including the new york islamic controversy and though he's disturbed by allegations that the justices on the court are somehow politicians. we posted much more on our website. when we continue in just a moment, if kids have been dealing with bullying forever, why does it seem worse and what's being done about it? and later, it was one of those moments in time and it saved the life of a high school football star. for me to breathe. but with advair, i'm breathing better. so now, i can join the fun and games with my grandchildren.

great news! for people with copd, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both, advair helps significantly improve lung function. while nothing can reverse copd, advair is different from most other copd medications because it contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help you breathe better. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. i had fun today, grandpa. you and me both. if copd is still making it hard to breathe, ask your doctor if including advair will help improve your lung function for better breathing. get your first full prescription free and save on refills. introducing total plus omega-3 honey almond flax cereal. all the nutrition of total,

plus 10% daily value omega-3 ala, and a delicious honey almond crunch. new total plus omega-3. when pain keeps you up, nothing is proven to help you fall asleep faster than advil pm liqui-gels. rushing real liquid relief to ease you to sleep fast. for nighttime pain, make advil pm your #1 choice.

we're back. as promised tonight, we have a new look at bullying. a huge concern for kids and parents. and while it's been around forever, that's true, it's seemingly more pervasive, now more intense. that has some school districts looking at new ways to fight back. nbc's kate snow has our report. >> does anyone know what any of these are? >> reporter: it's only the second week of school at belmont el my there in maryland, and already these students are getting a valuable lesson in a program called project change. >> no child can say they haven't bullied or haven't been bullied. >> reporter: maggie should know. at 17, she says she's been both a victim of bullying and to be honest, she's done some things she's not proud of. >> play ground at lunch, i took chalk and wrote she's stupid. >> reporter: it's happening all over the country, at younger and younger ages. often online. >> someone said, oh, this person

still sleeps with a blanky or that person still sucks their thumb. >> reporter: the principal figures talking about bullying before it starts might keep it out of the classrooms. >> they'll be able to identify it, recognize it, and hopefully seek appropriate assistance when it happens to them. >> reporter: belmont is doing a couple things, having children roll play situations and teaching kid it is they see bullying, do something. >> if we say, i want you to stand up, most of the kids say, what does that mean? >> reporter: as part of a report, we set up hidden cameras and watched how a group of kids reacted when another child was bullied. >> don't be mean. >> reporter: lucy befriends the actor/victim. and shows concern for the victim's feelings. >> you see how you're getting your feelings hurt? i'm not trying to be rude.

>> because of one child activating it, the other steps in. >> 85% of kids are not a bully and they're not a victim, they're a bystander. >> reporter: it's what they're teaching at belmont. changing behavior one school, one child at a time. kate snow, nbc news, new york. >> as kate mentioned, today on a special "dateline" broadcast, we'll host the perils of parents, it's a revealing look at bullying and other issues. that's tonight at 10:00, 9:00 central. when we come back, can a sandwich really help save the planet? it's being called, by some at least, the ultimate green lunch. look at all this stuff for coffee. oh there's tons. french presses, expresso tampers, filters. it can get really complicated. not nearly as complicated as shipping it, though. i mean shipping is a hassle. not with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate.

that is easy. best news i've heard all day! i'm soooo amped! i mean not amped. excited. well, sort of amped. really kind of in between. have you ever thought about decaf? do you think that would help? yeah. priority mail flat rate box shipping starts at $4.95, only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. ♪ [ male announcer ] ever have morning pain slow you down? ♪

introducing bayer am, an extra strength pain reliever with alertness aid, specially formulated to fight morning pain and fatigue. ♪ so get up and get goin'! with new bayer am. the morning pain reliever. with new bayer am. and people like what we're saying.. about how fusion is projected to hold its resale value better than camry. and has better quality than accord. as a matter of fact, people like what we're saying so much, ford fusion is now the 2010 motor trend car of the year. the fusion, from ford. get in . . . and drive one. oh no, no! i just parked here aond ago! give me a brk, will you? (announcer dr. scholl's masg gel soles with t different gels for softness and support... ...are outrageously comfortable. ...on second thought, i think i'll walk...

(announcer) are u gellin'? dr. scholl you don't love me anymore do you billy? what? i didn't buy this cereal to sweet talk your taste buds it's for my heart health. good speech dad. [ whimper ] [ male announcer ] honey nut cheerios tastes great and its whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. bee happy. bee healthy. our thanks to all of you who watched the hour-long live special on friday night from los angeles "stand up to cancer." it was a privilege to appear. all three evening news anchors coming together for a cause. thanks as well for donating, because people are still making pledges on the website, they are still tabulating a dollar figure. it was a big night last night for 24-year-old stephanie germanotto.

you may know her better as lady gaga. lots of costume changes. while she always tries to be outrageous, finding new themes is getting tougher. last night she turned to meat. peta was not happy. peta butter, they say they're doing it because peanut butter they want to push as a sandwich component that does not harm animals. there are is already an internet effort called the pb and jarvegs campaign which is claiming when you have a plant based lunch, you save 2.5 pounds of carbon emissions over what they call the average animal based lunch, like hamburgers, tuna or chicken. they compare it to the difference between a regular car and a hybrid. they feel americans need to see

peanut butter and jelly as a way to save the planet. when we come back here tonight, a winning play like you've never seen. his high school teammates are calling what they saw on the field a miracle. [ male announcer ] an everyday moment can turn romantic anytime. and when it does, men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment's right. ♪ tell your doctor about your medical condition and all medications, and ask if you're healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. [ man ] don't drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache, or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision,

stop taking cialis and call your doctor right away. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if cialis for daily use is right for you. for a 30-tablet free trial offer, go to cialis.com. for a 30-tablet free trial offer, my name is...peggy. callyou have problem?dit. peggy? ok, i've been waiting for fifteen minutes for someone to pick up. you're tenacious like bull. i like. please hold. no, no, no...pe- so pretty. anncr: want better customer service? switch to discover, where you can talk to a real person in less than a minute. it pays to discover. try new zegerid otc. it's the first 24-hourreatment with two active ingredients: prescription-strength medicine plus a protective ingredient so it's effectively absorbed. for 24-hour relief, try dual-ingredient zegerid otc.

and you can't go back and un-do the times you tried quitting... ♪ ...then started again. but every smoker was a non-smoker once. and you could be again. for many, smoking is a treatable medical condition. so talk to your doctor about prescription treatment options and support. and make this time, your time.

it was a high school football game this past weekend, and it was just like one of the thousands all across this country this past weekend. but what happened in portland, oregon was so remarkable, it had a lot of people talking about it today. a heart-stopping play, with a surprise ending. we get the story from nbc's george lewis. >> reporter: hayward demison, number 21, star tail back at central catholic high. and today, he has his teammates and his coach believing in miracles. >> just happy he's with us still. just very humbled. >> reporter: friday night, he gets the ball and runs 45 yards for the winning touchdown. >> i was very pumped up and excited. i was very hyper and stuff, so i was trying to make my best effort. >> reporter: on the sidelines, his heart kept racing, faster and faster. >> he had been diagnosed with asthma a few years ago, so he

thought maybe he was having an episode. >> i was like, coach, i can't breathe and stuff. i asked him to get my inhaler. >> reporter: the inhaler made things worse. he then collapsed. his heart then stopped. >> it didn't look like asthma to me. >> reporter: cardiac nurse lisa happened to be at the game that night. >> without feeling a pulse, without him being responsive, he looked pretty dead. >> reporter: she started performing cpr. >> you should feel his heart start beating under my hands. it's amazing to see somebody come back to life. >> reporter: demison is scheduled for heart surgery to repair a defective artery. he and his twin sister are very close, and he gets all choked up thinking how scared she was at the thought of losing him. >> that day was just emotional

for me, because she really loves me and i love her, too. >> reporter: george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. >> he needs to take it easy for a while. that's our broadcast for this monday night. thank you for being with us. as we start a new week, i'm brian williams. we hope to see you back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com